Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Ode to Grassroots Organizing

Hi Lake Nona Neighbors,

About 30 people turned out for our gathering last evening. We filled Betty Jo and Steve's home with positive energy and commitment to working hard to elect people who will truly represent our interests, not those of big corporations and big donors.

We shared our hopes and concerns for the future. We want to keep the gains made under President Obama's leadership, not move backwards. We want elected officials who take the science of climate change seriously and work to protect our environment for our children and grandchildren. We want thoughtful leaders who consider the consequences of actions before rushing into dangerous situations. We want local officials who care about our communities.

Sean Ashby talked about his goals for making changes in Tallahassee. Sean is running for FL House District 50. An ardent educator in Orange County public schools, Sean spoke of the need to protect public education and to make sure our community is well represented. For too long, the Republican incumbent has ignored our needs.

Susannah Randolph told us why she is running for the U.S. House of Representatives for District 9. Drawing on her long experience as a community organizer, Susannah stressed the importance of building a strong foundation for electing Democrats at all levels of government. That means registering voters and getting them to sign up to Vote By Mail. This is key to victory in 2016.

This is just the beginning. We all can see how Lake Nona is growing, with new apartment complexes going up everywhere we look. We will reach out to new residents to get them registered and encourage them to Vote By Mail. We will educate our neighbors on the issues that affect them. We will make calls, knock on doors, get out the vote.